


Wheel of Fortune

by syrenpan, tess1978



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Angst, Character Death, F/M, First Love, Rare Pairings, Romance, Swearing, unhappy endings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2017-08-21
Packaged: 2018-12-18 03:12:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11865468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/syrenpan/pseuds/syrenpan, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tess1978/pseuds/tess1978
Summary: Every chapter is a joint effort between tess1978 and syrenpan. After randomly selecting pairings and prompts, one starts the story and the other has to finish it - going in blind. All bets are off. Enjoy the ride!Pairings and Warning in chapter summaries. It's marked complete but we might add more in the future.1. X6-88/Glory - "It’s like a warm, wet hug."2. Cait/Deacon - "Show's Over, Motherfuckers!"





	1. X6-88/Glory - "It’s like a warm, wet hug."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags: Romance, Character Death

“Wait here,” Nora hissed. “I’ll meet my contact. Don’t do anything until I’m back, got it?”

“Yes, ma'am,” X6-88 replied dutifully and watched as she disappeared into the back alley. It wasn’t his place to judge but he didn’t like her very much. Father seemed to trust her implicitly, but X6 had his reservations. She fraternised with dangerous elements which could turn into real threats further down the line. However, he decided to keep his opinion to himself. For now. 

Devoid of any other options, he stepped back into the shadow of the crumbling concrete block, almost disappearing from view and closed his eyes. 

Five minutes later his gun was already pointed at his attacker’s head before he heard the click of the safety catch being switched off. 

“Good evening,” a velvety voice greeted him, sending an unfamiliar shiver down his spine. He had always known she was out here. Somewhere. Still, seeing her was a shock to the system. 

For the first time in his existence, X6 had to clear his throat to cover for the hitch in his voice before he greeted her. “G7-81.” 

She stepped closer, the barrel of her handgun pressing against his throat while his muzzle was now pointed at her sternum. “My name is Glory.”

He clenched his jaw to keep from saying the first thing that’d popped into his head. 

It suits you.

“I should kill you,” she whispered. Her eyes were hard and beautiful just like he remembered them. Eight years. That’s how long it had been since he had last seen her. Eight years ago she had made decision and so had he. 

“And I should bring you in.”

Glory sighed and shook her head. “We both know that’s not going to happen.”

She was correct on that account because officially G7-81 didn’t exist any more and you cannot retrieve what doesn’t exist in the first place. 

Instead of replying, X6 stepped back and holstered his gun. Glory hesitated for a few more seconds before she did the same. Silence stretched between them. Both standing perfectly still in the way only self-aware synth can. 

Glory was the one to speak first. “What are you-“

“I remember you,” X6 blurted. Why had he said that? 

She raised an eye-brow. “Do you now?”

“G7-81. You went rogue on April 14th 2080.” Why was he still talking? 

Glory cocked her head and crossed her arms over her chest. Her eyes obviously trying to burn a hole into his skull as if she could open it up and plug the answers right out of his brain. 

Not that that seemed necessary because his mouth was obviously intend on providing information voluntarily. “My first assignment. I was one of three tasked with retrieving your group. Railroad influence suspected. Use of extreme prejudice advised.” 

Glory’s nostrils flared. “You killed M4 and P7.” 

X6 nodded neither proud nor ashamed. “But we failed to capture the remaining six due to the explosion in sector 89LD. All missing synths presumed destroyed. File closed.” 

Glory snorted. “Well, that’s good news, I guess. Does that mean I can stop sleeping with one eye open?” X6 noticed she was either afraid or excited if the rise and fall of her chest even through the heavy coat was to be believed. 

“You have nothing to fear from me.” 

“Oh?” Glory uncrossed her arms and took a step toward him. She was nearly as tall as he was. Striking was the word that popped into his head. “And why is that exactly?”

X6 swallowed. “Because I have no orders to bring you in.” 

She took another step. “And what -if not a bullet- will stop you from updating SRB on my status?”

He couldn’t possibly tell her the truth. He couldn’t. He-

“Because why should I do now what I neglected to do eight years ago?”

Her jaw slacked. He had no idea why he had told her. There seemed no rational explanation just like their had been no reason to not correcting his supervisors error when he reported G7-81 destroyed in 2080. 

Back then when the smoke had cleared and they had walked through the wreckage, X6 had spied her out of the corner of his eyes. She was crawling while trying to cradle her arm which was pointing at an unnatural angle. Blood matting her white hair. Her teeth flashing as they bit down on her lower lip, drawing blood. 

She was broken, defeated but she kept going and…he couldn’t. He simply turned his back and decided to forget what had seen. Except he hadn’t. Because whether SRB liked it or not, synth might not need to sleep but they could. And X6 would see the one who was now called Glory thereafter for years to come in his dreams. 

***

That night years ago hadn’t been the first time he’d seen her, either. 

He’d seen her the first time under the shade of a tree. She was carrying something - he didn’t remember what - and she dropped it. He’d handed it to her and he seemed to get lost in her brown eyes. The moment had seemed to last forever for him, but then it was over. She was gone. 

He’d seen her in passing, during the time of his courser training, running here and there, or collecting her nutritional supplements, or heading to whatever places she needed to go. Her eyes never locked on him, he didn’t think she’d even noticed him, and in his exhaustion with his training, he had never been able to bring himself to speak to her either. 

But he laid awake at night and thought of her. And he hadn’t stopped thinking of her ever since his first assignment.

He didn’t realize how long he had been standing there staring at her until she smiled suddenly, showing straight white teeth and a slight crease at the corner of her eyes. He felt the smile like a physical blow in the pit of his stomach, twining in his guts before retreating, leaving a lingering heat and a thumping heart.

He didn’t know what to make of it.

He clenched his jaw and looked away, trying to think of something to say, but before he could, the Director’s mother returned and they were away.

***

He thought of her again that night. He could see her imprinted on the back of his eyelids as he lay, awake in his quarters. He thought of her the next day as he followed Father’s Mother on retrievals, as he guarded her back against the threats of the Commonwealth. His mind wandered as they completed tasks and errands.

Then, a week later, he was waiting again, and there she was.

“You’re back,” Glory said, the smile returning, and the lines at the corner of her eyes crinkled and his stomach flipped again.

They sat while they waited, and X6 listened to Glory as she talked, telling him stories of synths she had known, friends she had made, and some she had lost. He swam in the sound of her voice, and that night he wondered what if…

...What if he had gone with her that night? 

***

Weeks passed and he saw her more often. And he thought about her more and more when they weren’t together. He followed his charge around in a daze, barely present, often only feeling “real” when he was with Glory. 

One day they sat on a rooftop, and he looked over at her, the sunlight gleaming in her hair, her eyes on him, and it seemed like his body moved without his permission as he leaned in close to her. Her scent filled his brain and he closed his eyes, only opening them when he felt her fingertips on his lips. 

He felt his heart thump painfully as she closed the short distance, touching her lips to his just briefly, the warmth of her breath permeating his very core.

He felt her arms slide around his neck, pulling him closer, and when her lips parted he tasted her for the first time. He felt explosive and tight, like the only thing that would bring him relief was getting still closer.

His mouth left hers and he kissed her cheek, her throat, and she made a sound low in her throat that sent shivers through his spine.

When they finally pulled back from the kiss, they sat with their arms around each other for a long time, and before they parted, she pulled him into a tight hug.

While he laid in bed that night, he began to imagine something other than the future he always planned for himself. 

He began to imagine a future with her. He saw it all laid out before him… leaving the Institute. Going somewhere… away. Away from here, and from the people and duties that kept them apart. He was certain from the way she touched him, held him, from the things she said, that she wanted that too. 

One night he dreamed they were together and he woke damp and sticky and he wondered if this was what the humans talked about.

***

He didn’t know what the Director’s mother was doing. He’d stopped paying attention, his thoughts with Glory. His superiors did not question him; he had a long history of exemplary service. They trusted that if he had anything to report, he would. 

He didn’t.

Instead, he started to plan. He considered the means and methods by which he might free himself from the Institute and join her for good, and began setting plans in motion. He obtained supplies and stashed them strategically, began changing schedules to ensure he wouldn’t be missed for the longest possible time. It helped that the Director’s mother, perhaps sensing his inattention, had begun excusing him from more and more missions.

All that was left was to tell her. 

***

X6 woke with a start, Glory’s face in his field of vision. He rubbed his eyes and blinked, only to realize it was no fading dream, she was there, before him, in his room.

He opened his mouth to speak, but she stopped him, pressing one finger to his lips. 

“Nora’s let us in,” she said. “The Railroad is putting an end to the Institute once and for all.”

X6 shook his head. He wanted to leave, yes, but he didn’t want this. 

“This wasn’t the plan,” he told her.

“I’m not here for your plan. I’m here for mine.” She leaned forward and kissed him, and he lost himself again in her touch. He brought his fingers to her head and stroked her hair, so soft. He’d make this work. He’d find a way. Nothing mattered to him but her now. 

She leaned back and looked at him, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “I’m here for me, X6.” Her smile seemed to send a searing slice of pain through his chest. “And I’m here for M4 and P7.” 

At the name of her former comrades, he felt the burn again, between the ribs. His eyes were heavy now and he lay back on his bed. He closed his eyes and felt her lips on his once again. He was tired. He could feel her around him, like a warm, wet hug.

He was grateful they would be together now.

***

Glory wiped her knife on the bedding and tucked it back into its place, before rising and looking dispassionately down at the body on the bed. 

Never had the death of a courser brought such satisfaction. She smiled to herself, and then headed out to help Nora cleanse the Commonwealth of the Institute for good. 

The End


	2. Cait/Deacon - Show's Over, Motherfuckers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tags: Romance, Sad, Kissing

“Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.”

Cait gritted her teeth as she continued ripping tato plants out of the bed behind the market at Sanctuary Hills. She wasn’t cut out for this farming shit, but ever since she thumped that guy in Diamond City when they were on a trading run, Nora refused to take her anywhere where she had to interact with actual people. 

And since she wasn’t good at running the pub or the shops, and she got a bit ragey when she had to clean or cook, and anything she built or repaired immediately disassembled itself, that left her with gardening, under the supervision of Codsworth.

And she wasn’t gonna let a fucking robot tell her what to do. 

So here she was, with six rows of dead tato plants to replace.

Fuck.

She pulled the last plant out and wiped her brow, looking up to find half of fucking Sanctuary pretending not to watch her. 

Nosy fucking bastards. This was not the place for her and she knew it. She wished she could get back on the road with Nora again, like it had been before, just the two of them, kicking ass and taking names. Back before the Institute, before Nora decided to tame the entire Commonwealth…

Although even she could admit she didn’t really want to go back to the chems. She knew she was a bit cunty these days, but she knew she’d been off the rails back then and she didn’t want to go back to that. Not really.

It was just that without the chems and the fighting, there was nothing for her to focus on. She felt a bit aimless and unfocused, like there was something missing, and she wasn’t really sure what to do.

Her glare had sent most of the community scurrying away… all except that one sketchy dude. 

He had shown up a month or so before the whole Institute thing, although she hadn’t been paying much attention then, what with the chems and all. She’d seen him come and go with Nora from time to time, and then after all that shit went down, he vanished for a bit. But lately, he was back again. Coming and going without any kind of warning. 

Cait didn’t notice many of the other settlers, but she noticed this guy. Maybe because he didn’t seem to have a real job. Maybe because he never said much. Or maybe because he seemed to be trying so hard to blend in.

He always looked different. Sometimes he was dressed like a farmer, sometimes a merchant. Sometimes he had hair, sometimes he was shaved as bald as a cue ball. But he always, _always_ seemed to be wearing those shades. She wasn’t even sure what his eyes looked like under there. 

By trying so hard to blend in, he ended up sticking out more than anything else. And although she tried to ignore him, it only intrigued her more. 

She didn’t think he was intrigued by her, though. He never seemed to glance her way, or pay her any mind. Not that she cared, she told herself. It’s not like anyone would be interested in her anyway, fucked up as she was. 

_But you do mind…_

Cait tried to ignore the tiny voice in her head. But it was stronger than she was, and she found herself peeking up at him every few minutes to see if he was still there.

He was.

Fuck.

Her face warmed and she turned away from him, picking up the last of the dead plants and walking to the compost heap to deposit them, before turning back to the garden plot. She sighed. The whole area was going to need to be hoed again. She headed to the shed, conscious that the bald dude was still watching her. Why the fuck wouldn’t he go away? God dammit, she just wanted to work in peace here. Was that too much to ask?

The hoe was hung on the shed wall with the other garden tools, with the rakes and shovels at the bottom and the hoe on the top. Of course. Fuck.

At 5’2”, there was no way she was going to get that down. She grabbed the rake and started poking at the hoe, trying to knock it down, but it kept falling back down onto the hooks. She was getting really fucking pissed off about it too, until she heard a voice behind her. 

“Let me get that for you.” 

The guy came up behind her in the small room, and she felt his heat and smelled the warm, pleasant scent of him fill the shed as he reached up, sliding the hoe from its hooks, and handing it to her. 

“Thanks,” she muttered.

The guy tipped an imaginary hat, and then he was gone.

Cait took a minute to cool down, before stepping outside.

The guy was nowhere to be found.

***

Cait was standing in the food lineup waiting for her dinner when she heard a drawling voice behind her.

“How’s my favourite hoe?”

She spun around to give the asshole calling her names a piece of her mind - not to mention her fists - when she saw it was the guy from earlier. He must have seen the murder in her eyes, because he took a step back and raised his hands. 

“I meant the garden tool!” he clarified, and Cait relaxed slightly, although she was still a little bit wary. 

“What do you want,” she asked.

“I just thought we could eat together, what with us being gardening buddies and all.”

“Gardening buddies?”

“Well… I helped you… hoe.” 

Cait laughed despite herself, and the man smiled in return. 

Once they sat, he introduced himself as Deacon, and the laughter continued. There was something about him that brought her out of her shell like nothing before, and she found herself talking and laughing until long after the dining hall had emptied and night had fallen.

It wasn’t until the kitchen staff coughed pointedly at them that she realized how long they had been talking. “We’d better go,” she said, and he helped her to her feet.

Once outside, Cait was reluctant to leave. She looked up at him, and realized he was still wearing his sunglasses. “Take those off,” she said.

He seemed to hesitate, just for a moment, then he pulled them off.

She choked back a gasp. His eyes were blue and sad, and lined with years of stories she wanted to learn, and she wanted to fall into them. She found herself leaning towards him, and a moment later his lips were hers.

***

They kiss was sweet, almost chaste. No-one had kissed her like that before. It made her feel special and precious. She looked at him through hooded eyelids, their lips still brushing against each other with no hurry. This close up she could see the smattering of faint freckles on the bridge of his nose. It made her wonder whether he was a redhead too. Well, only one way to find out. 

“Do you want to-” Cait started but Deacon immediately closed the gap again before she could finish the question. He licked along the seam of her mouth, pulling her lower lip gently with his teeth before planting a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth.

“Can I help you hoeing again tomorrow?” he mumbled. 

Cait didn’t know whether it was his choice of words, or the way he had asked, or the fact that he was the first guy in forever who she had offered “breakfast” to only to be rejected in the nicest possible way. But the question made her snort against his lips. 

“Sorry,” she giggled, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. 

Deacon wrinkled his nose. “So, I’m guessing that was a no?” 

“What? No, I mean it wasn’t. I mean, yes, that would be nice.” 

Her answer lit up his eyes. “Great. I’ll pick you up at 7:30?” 

Cait bit her lower lip before she replied, “Sure thing, handsome.”

He flashed her another smile before he sauntered over to the bunk house, leaving alone and full of anticipation. 

*~*

They were, for want of a better word, courting. Cait still had trouble wrapping her head around the concept but it had been four days since that first encounter, and despite her open advances, Deacon had remained a perfect gentleman. Instead of dragging her off to bed like pretty much every other bloke she had encountered, he had showered her with attention and thoughtful gifts. 

After he had picked her up like he had promised the next morning after their first date, Cait had found a small bouquet of hub and carrot flower blossoms tied to the handle of her hoe. 

That evening he had asked her out for dinner again followed by more kissing on the porch of her house at the edge of town. Unlike most people, Cait had one of the ancient structures all to herself. It was small, but it was hers and it made her feel safe. Like Deacon. 

Things were progressing at a snail’s pace but she didn’t mind. It was new and exciting to be treated like a lady for a change. Like the girl she might have been had she been born into a different life. 

Everything was going great, with one small exception: the other inhabitants of Sanctuary. While she had always drawn looks for being pretty or rude and often both at the same time, lately people...lingered. 

She noticed it on the second evening with Deacon. If Marcy had polished the table next to theirs any harder, she would have ground a fucking hole into the wood and something told Cait, it wouldn’t have stopped her if she could only remain within earshot. The next morning one of the new women, Oona or Bruna, had been pouring water from a pail into a jug while Cait and Deacon worked and flirted. By the time Cait had noticed, Bruna/Oona had wet feet. 

In short, people were hovering. Taking an interest. Meddling. She fucking hated it. Now, they were interested in her? Fuck that shit, She had gone from curiosity to celebrity just because a nice guy had stepped into her life? Where had all these people been when she had hit rock bottom? 

Yeah, exactly. A show that’s what she had been most of her life. Until Deacon had stepped into her life. She still had no idea why, but the spy (retired) cared for her and now a week into their relationship she was ready to believe he was the real thing. Ba-dam tsh. 

Still, it annoyed the living shit out of her. Which was why Cait was ready to crack skulls like in the good old days when she and Deacon were on their third date and every fucking inhabitant seemed to feel peckish all of a sudden. Her fingers closed around her fork...

Warm hands took her fist and gently pulled the utensil from her grip. Cait whipped her head around, a snarl on her lips but Deacon was there, whispering, “Let’s get out of here.”

She let out shaky breath and nodded. Once they were outside, Decon pulled her into his arms. “I know they are nosy, but can you blame them?”

“Yes!” Cait growled back but the corners of her mouth twitched. 

Deacon grabbed her wrists playfully and held them behind the small of her back, she could feel the up and down of his chest with every breath he took. He was so warm and she wanted to melt into him. When had she turned into a swooning maiden? Clearly, this man did things to her. 

He shrugged, his eyes wandering to her lips. “You were a cage fighter, you know how it is.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Yes, I know when I’m on display for other people’s amusement.” Suddenly, the pit of her stomach seemed to drop. She didn’t want to believe it but she had learned a few things the hard way. Rock hard. She stared into Deacon’s eyes. 

“Is this a joke?” 

He looked startled. “What?” 

Panic rose and she started to struggle. Deacon immediately let her go, allowing her to take a few steps back. She held out her arm and repeated, “Is this a joke? Did Nora or Tommy set you up for this?” she gestured between them. 

Deacon lowered his arms. “I get it,” he said.

Cait shook her head. “Get what? 

“I’m sorry if I have ever given you the idea I was anything but sincere. Yeah, I know, ha-fucking-ha. An honest spy - in retirement. I get why you…,” he let out a shaky breath, combing his hand over his head. “Look, tell me what you need from me. Tell me how I can show you I mean it.”

Cait narrowed her eyes, “Mean what - spell it out for me!”

Deacon looked like he had to force himself to stay still. “I care about you.”

“You do? Why?” 

“Because you are the bravest, most resilient person I have ever met. You had shit flying your way all your life and instead of lying down and giving up, you took a baseball bat to fate and beat the living crap out of it. I wish I was half as strong as you are. That’s the truth. I’ve been a liar and a coward because that was how I was managing to get through the day . But I want to be more. I want to be a better man. For you. Because you deserve more. From life. From everything. Everyone.”

Cait stared at Deacon, arms at her side, but her jaw clenched so hard, she felt her teeth grind. “I’m not that girl, Deacon. Don’t put me onto a fucking pedestal! I’m not good with heights. That girl you’re talking about doesn’t exist. See this?” She held out her arms, marred with scars. “This was not bravery.”

Deacon nodded like he understood but Cait wasn’t having it. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. “All that talk about how tough and brave I am? That’s bullshit, and you of all people should know it when you hear it.” 

They were staring at each other both hurt and afraid. The past few days played back in Cait’s head: Deacon smiling, teasing, kissing her so softly. She had liked it, sure, but all this time he had been kissing someone who didn’t exist. 

“I’m not her.” Cait said defiantly.  
Deacon just held her gaze. “That’s what I’ve been trying to do, you know. From day one, I was trying to show you that you deserve better. That you are more than your scars. And I think these nosy people in there, they are rooting for you. I’m not sure you understand but they care about you.” Cait was about to protest but Deacon kept talking. “They do, they are just scared shitless because you keep pushing them away.”

She wanted to believe him, she really did but - how did that old saying go? Leopards didn’t change their spots. And that was the only truth she could rely on. It had gotten her so far. It had kept her alive in that cage, and it would continue to do so. 

Cait took another step backward. “No. Go, Deacon. Just go. Whoever you’re looking for, you won’t find her here.”

She turned around before he could say anything. Before she could see his face. She wasn’t sure she was strong enough for that which only proved her right, didn’t it? 

Before she strode toward her house, she turned toward the packed kitchen and yelled, “Show’s over, motherfuckers!” 

The End


End file.
